LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – A ballot measure that would have required Michigan voters to prove they are U.S. citizens won’t appear on this November’s ballot, after state election officials said they couldn’t confirm enough of the submitted signatures were valid to meet the legal threshold.
The group behind the effort, Americans for Citizen Voting, collected more than 709,000 signatures, well over the 446,198 needed to qualify. But state law only requires election officials to check a sample of those signatures, not every one. In this case, officials reviewed a sample of 1,000. When the Board of State Canvassers looked at that sample on Aug. 24, members couldn’t agree on whether a handful of the signatures were valid. That disagreement ended in a 2-2 tie, and under state rules, a tie meant the petition fell short, even though the campaign had gathered enough signatures overall.
Americans for Citizen Voting asked both the Michigan Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court to step in. Both courts declined in early September, leaving the board’s decision in place. The Michigan Supreme Court noted that state lawmakers could pass new laws to make the signature-checking process clearer. Leaders of Americans for Citizen Voting say they plan to try again in 2028.
That’s where a new committee in the Michigan House comes in.
The Michigan House of Representatives formed the Select Committee on the Rules and Procedures of the Bureau of Elections and the Board of State Canvassers to take a closer look at how the review process works. State Rep. Mike Harris leads the committee. He said the goal is to evaluate the process itself, not to challenge what happened with this particular petition.
“We had almost 710,000 people sign a petition for Americans for Citizen Voting, and I think they want to know why their signatures didn’t matter,” Harris said.
Harris said the committee plans to gather facts before drawing any conclusions.
“If we put the conclusion before the facts, I think we’re doing a disservice to the people of Michigan,” Harris said.
Majority Floor Leader Bryan Posthumus will serve as vice chair of the committee. State Rep. Rachelle Smit, R-Martin, has also been named to the panel and said in a statement that she wants the committee to take a close look at how the signature sample is chosen and checked.
Harris said lawmakers gave the committee subpoena power, meaning it can compel testimony and records. He said the panel’s bigger goal is helping people understand a process most never see up close.
“A lot of people aren’t going to read their manual, and they shouldn’t have to. That’s what we’re for. We’re supposed to be the voice of the people, and our job is to help educate the public on what this process has been,” Harris said.
Asked what he hopes the committee avoids, Harris said he wants it to stay fair and nonpartisan.
“I don’t want this committee to be a circus. Sometimes the loudest voice in the room isn’t always right, so we have to be open to being wrong about our conclusions. We have to learn before we judge, and then make determinations,” Harris said.
The committee holds its first hearing Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 2 p.m. in Room 352 of the Capitol Building. Lawmakers say any changes they recommend could help make sure the process runs smoothly the next time a petition like this comes up, including Americans for Citizen Voting’s planned 2028 attempt.
